Northern Saw-Whet Owl House
by Duncraft
Saw-whet Owl
Nestbox Plans
Great Horned Owl
Barn Owl Pigmy Owl
Boreal Owl
Eastern Screech Owl
Western Screech Owl
Barred Owl Hawk Owl
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Order: Strigiformes
Family: Strigidae
Genus: Aegolius
Species: acadicus
La. strix, strigis owl
La. forma form, shape, kind
La. aegolius night bird of
prey
La. Acadia former
French colony in
Nova Scotia |
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| About eight inches long. Dark cinnamon
brown with white streaks on upper parts and white with cinnamon brown streaks on
underside. Buff white facial disk with black outline around yellow eyes. Three or four
narrow white bands on the tail.
Inhabits dense coniferous forests, groves and tree stands in farms
and towns from the middle U.S. north to Canada and Alaska and in the southwest mountainous
regions as far Mexico in the winter. Like its cousin, the Boreal Owl, it inhabits the
northern latitudes around the globe. |
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Makes a nest of loose chips and feathers in natural or
abandoned tree cavities, rock clefts, sometimes in abandoned squirrel, crow or heron
nests, in building towers and in bird houses for hundreds of years put up probably for
rodent control. Lays three to seven white eggs which hatch after about four weeks
incubation and young leave the nest in another four to five weeks.
Night hunter for mice and insects. Its note resembles the filing of a saw. |
| The Saw-whet Owl Nestbox (same as for Pigmy Owl, Lewis Woodpecker Flicker,
and Grackle) has a 7" by 7" floor, 16" inside
ceiling, 2 1/2" diameter entrance hole located 14" above the floor and
ventilation openings. Assembled with corrosion resistant screws fit to pre-drilled
countersunk pilot holes. Hinged roof is secured with shutter hooks for easy access.
Mount out of reach (10 feet or higher) near woodland edges or clearings. Place some
wood chips on the floor.
Chester A. Reed
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